Through The Stars
by SocialGraceful
Summary: Wash is up late piloting when River having had a bad dream decides to join him.


Wash reflected on what he had had told the captain about five hours ago.

"We can cut some time in our trip if we go through the venuvi asteroid belt but..." Wash said.

"But the asteroids could destroy us, is what you're getting at," Mal had replied.

"Obviously, I mean, I would just have to stay up all night to pilot us through."

"Can you do it?"

"Would you need me the next day?"

"Probably not, just going to drop the goods off and be on our way, nice and simple. What's that look for?"

Wash had raised an inquisitive eyebrow at the captain.

"Fine, it should be okay but if it isn't, I'll figure something out, guide us through tonight and you can have tomorrow off," Mal said and walked off muttering in Chinese.

And so it was then that Wash found himself sitting at the helm alone while his wife and everyone else slept. The asteroids were fairly slow moving in the black but he couldn't just point a path through them. So, he would make the moves that needed to be made and try to keep himself awake. He was drifting off when the scream ripped through the silence.

"What's going on back there?" Wash yelled.

It was then that he heard the soft padding of the girl who never wore shoes. She came running in and Wash was momentarily reminded of the cats that he had seen on his home planet. She looked around and began to calm when she saw that he was the only one here.

"Shiny, shiny, knives, cutting, cutting, cutting!" River said.

Wash wanted to reach out to her to calm her like he had seen Simon do but he couldn't take his hands off the controls.

"No, no knives, just us, calm down, no one's going to hurt you," he said.

"Cold, hard metal, no shine to it but beautiful," River replied.

"That's right, you're on Serenity. What happened, did you have a nightmare?"

"Darkness... night... scared."

"That's what I thought, why don't you stay up with me for a while? It might make you feel better and it would be nice to have the company."

"Company."

"In fact, if you're up for a little trip, could you get me some coffee from the mess?"

"Sure..."

She walked off and returned quicker than was expected with a steaming mug of what they called coffee. They sat in silence as Wash didn't know what to say to the girl owing to her damaged status.

After a while, he began to hum softly to himself. He went through the first three bars of the song, when he heard another sound, he looked to see River singing along with his humming. The sound was haunting in its beauty, it made him remember sunny days that were ruined by sudden rain clouds. Of dark corners that he was scared of as a child but were made better by a parent's hand on his face. It reminded him off the times when Zoe's strength would falter and she would remember some harsh memory of the war that caused her to weep. How he would bring her back from that with whatever jokes he could muster.

When they concluded the song, River still seemed entranced. Wash began to hum a different song, one more uptempo and she began to sing along with that one to.

They continued in that way for quite some time and there were some songs with duets that they sang together. Wash was happy when she started smiling. Finally, Wash finished the evening's entertainment with a lullaby, one that he sang alone with what feeble talent he could bring about. It was enough and soon River had curled up in the copilot's seat and fallen asleep. He looked at the time and noticed that they were through the asteroid belt and at any moment, the captain would-

"Well, Wash, looks like-" he came in talking loudly.

"Shh!" Wash said and indicated River.

"Oh, sorry," Mal whispered. "Where'd she come from?"

"She came to keep me company."

"Oh, well, you're off duty, I'll take over for you."

"Thanks."

"Hope she wasn't too much of a nuisance."

"No, the opposite in fact."

"Good, well, I'll put her back in her bed before Simon starts getting upset."

Scooping the little girl in his arms, Wash noticed that River cuddled up to the captain. The captain looked down at her and then rolled his eyes at Wash. Wash opened the door to River's room as he made his way to his own. Mal laid her down and pulled her blanket over her. He stroked her hair and hoped that she had good dreams for once.

The order of the day was to deliver the goods.

And to be quiet for the two tired crewmembers that were sleeping peacefully.


End file.
